About UNDP in Myanmar

UNDP has been providing development assistance to the people of Myanmar since the 1950s. UNDP operated under a restricted mandate from 1993 until 2012 implementing the Human Development Initiative programme which provided assistance directly to communities and individuals for improving their lives and livelihoods. Through the fully-fledged 2013-2015 country programme developed in partnership with the Myanmar Government, UNDP aims to help Myanmar manage a “triple transition”: nation-building, including securing a sustainable peace with ethnic minorities; state-building, or democratizing and modernizing state institutions; and economic liberalization, moving the country from a closed, command economy to an open and transparent market.

The Standard Basic Assistance Agreement signed between the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and UNDP on September 17, 1987, governs UNDP’s assistance to the country and provides a legal framework for the implementation of the country programme. Read in Myanmar

What do we want to accomplish?

UNDP aims to support Myanmar in the achievement of its development priorities and democratic transformation through strategic capacity development of national institutions.

The new country programme, which covers the period 2013 – 2015, includes a major focus on responsive, transparent, democratic governance in three priority areas. The first supports institutional strengthening of local governments and civil society, while providing livelihood support and poverty reduction in border and ceasefire areas. The second comprises assistance through policy advice on climate change, disaster risk reduction, energy access, and environment. The third aim is to contribute to reform strategies and help scale up capacity in the national parliament, justice sector, and civil administration. Read in Myanmar

What are our results?

UNDP’s Human Development Initiative improved the livelihoods of more than 5 million women, men, and children covering a total of 8,000 villages in 63 townships across Myanmar.

About 50 % of the self-reliance groups (SRG) formed under the Initiative are in the process of getting registered as cooperatives, 28 township level SRG level leading groups have been formed and 192 cluster leading groups.

UNDP was instrumental in bringing microfinance to Myanmar and is the largest microfinance provider in the country. Through this project UNDP provided loans totaling to 372,000 borrowers in 6133 villages located in 27 townships. More than 90 % of the beneficiaries of the microfinance project are women. Through the project 415,000 individuals saved a total of almost USD14 million, of which voluntary savings amounted to 17%. A Beneficiary Welfare Fund associated with the project attracted 376,000 clients and accumulated USD 4.4 million. Read in Myanmar

Who are the decision makers?

The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Myanmar is Ms. Renata Lok-Dessallien.

The UNDP Country Director is Mr. Toily Kurbanov. The Deputy Resident Representative for Operations is Ms Thuy Hang To.

Other managers oversee administrative and support units including finance, human resources, ICT, communications and monitoring and evaluation. Read in Myanmar

How many are we?

Contract Type

Number

Fixed Term Appointment (FTA)

74

Service Contract

57

United Nations Volunteers

10

Total

141

Our Consultants

The list of consultants who have received USD $30,000. or more over the 2013-2014 period.

Consultant

Job Title

Project Title

Amount of Contract USD

1

Senior Advisor Justice Sector Strategic Planning

Democratic Governance

64,000

2

Local Governance Consultant

Poverty Reduction and Local Governance

66,500

3

Rule of Law/Access to Justice Specialist

Democratic Governance

35,250

4

Civil Service Training Advisor

Democratic Governance

47,000

5

Justice Specialist

Democratic Governance

58,760

6

International SNA Expert

Democratic Governance

52,500

7

Advisor on Civil Service and Public Administration Reform

Democratic Governance

37,348

8

Access to Justice Senior Expert

Democratic Governance

60,000

9

Local Governance - Capacity Development Specialist

Poverty Reduction and Local Governance

46,000

10

E-Governance Advisor

Democratic Governance

94,400

11

Coordinator, Sub-National Governance Mapping

Poverty Reduction and Local Governance

96,200

12

National Development Planning

Democratic Governance

55,050

13

Regional Development Planning

Democratic Governance

64,150

14

AIMS Consultant

Democratic Governance

45,830

15

Sub-Parliament Expert

Democratic Governance

51,149

16

Consultant for Public Administration and Development Effectiveness

Democratic Governance

49,800

17

Senior Access to Justice Expert

Democratic Governance

74,375

18

Researcher - Township Governance

Poverty Reduction and Local Governance

52,915

19

Early Recovery Specialist (Rakhine)

Poverty Reduction and Local Governance

66,000

20

Early Recovery Specialist (Kachin)

Poverty Reduction and Local Governance

70,969

UNDP Leadership in Myanmar

Ms. Renata Lok-Dessallien is the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Myanmar since January, 2014. She has served as Resident Coordinator for the last 10 years, first in Bhutan, Bangladesh and most recently in China. She brings with her more than 26 years of UN experience gained in Asia and Africa. Ms. Lok-Dessallien is no stranger to Myanmar, having served as the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Myanmar from 2000 to 2002. Prior to joining the UN, Ms. Lok-Dessallien worked for the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.

Toily Kurbanov was appointed Country Director of UNDP in Myanmar in September 2012. He joined UNDP in 2004 and has worked in the Office of Planning and Budgeting at UNDP Headquarters in New York. Prior to his current assignment, Mr. Kurbanov was UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Fiji, where he led UNDP’s programme and operations in nine Pacific Island countries (Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu).